We often hear of people being self-conscious This trait of thought is usually something one would like to get rid of, something that restricts or limits one's individual capabilities. Let us examine, however, our true self, our real identity. In other words, let us become conscious of the real man, the man of God's creating. In Genesis we read (1:27), "God created man in his own image." From this it follows that to know more of our own selfhood or individuality, we must know more of God. We can know no more of God's creation than we know of Him as creator. If we wish to become conscious of the truth of our own identity, then we must first seek the truth of God.
In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy gives the following synonyms for God: Mind, Spirit, Soul, Life, Truth, Principle, Love. Prayerful study of each of these synonyms will reveal a fuller concept of the creator and consequently give one a more complete understanding of man—not mortal man, confused in a self-constituted individuality, but spiritual man, who possesses by reflection infinite individuality.
We learn from the Bible that God is Spirit, and we read in Science and Health (p. 477), "Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love." As we begin to see man's real being as spiritual and claim this identity for ourselves and others, we become much less conscious of a false sense of self as physical personality.
In the sixteenth chapter of Matthew we read that Christ Jesus once questioned his disciples concerning his identity. He asked (verse 13), "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" Varying answers were given, prefixed by the two words, "Some say." These "some say" answers were not correct, and the Master asked again, "But whom say ye that I am?" Peter discerned the truth and answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
It is incumbent upon each one of us today to reject the "some say" answers of mortal mind. Although answers of this kind may often seem to be more satisfactory to personal sense than those inspired by divine Mind, the mortal answers must be recognized as incorrect. Our effort should always be to identify ourselves individually as completely spiritual, just as the disciples endeavored to do. Actually, the eternality of their real, spiritual selfhood never changed, but their need was to become individually conscious of the truth that their real identity was to be found in Spirit.
In our journey from sense to Soul, mortal mind may attempt to identify us in many ways with false concepts and limitations and try to claim as true in our individual experience such conditions as lack, illhealth, and unhappiness. Thus we see the importance of rising in thought to the consciousness of reality, in which we can daily and hourly behold our true selfhood. We learn in Christian Science that we progress Godward through spiritual discernment and never through mortal mind thinking or material sense testimony.
Let us look again at Peter's correct identification of the Master. It was his correct answer that brought the Master's blessing and approval, for we read in the account in Matthew (verse 17), "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Like Peter, let us be awakened by the Christ-consciousness to our real identity as spiritual and not material. In so doing we find ourselves on solid ground, for this recognition of our spiritual selfhood is the truth. Once we have discerned, even in part, the truth of the inseparability of God and man and have glimpsed the reality of divine Mind and its eternal manifestation or idea, we begin to see that man is not a mortal, but is an immortal idea of God.
When we fill out an identification card, we find that there is a place not only for the name but for the address. So, having filled out our spiritual name card as "immortal man," let us fill in the address. The Bible states that we live in God. In such a dwelling, which must of necessity be spiritual, the laws of divine Principle are operating eternally, bringing Love's bounty of good into man's experience. It is indeed a release from any so-called sense of frustration to know that immortal man abides in the consciousness of good alone and that divine Love continuously sustains and harmoniously maintains him in his true dwelling place.
Our human experience will evidence the truth of our spiritual being in proportion to our understanding of it. Included in this understanding is the wisdom to see the falsity of mortal mind's claims, either in subtle or aggressive forms, which would attempt to tag us with false identification. There are those who for so long have been weighed down with false beliefs as to their identity and true place of abode that they do not seem to know who they really are or where to go.
It is at this point of indecision that Christian Science comes with its light of Truth to show us how to lay aside false beliefs and to see these beliefs for what they are, namely nothing and having no real power or presence. Christian Science requires us to set aside our former misconceptions and replace them with the truth. In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 428), "We must realize the ability of mental might to offset human misconceptions and to replace them with the life which is spiritual, not material."
The good we behold spiritually is manifested in our lives. If we are, in belief, conscious of a mortal man, governed by material laws, materiality and error may seem to be evidenced in our affairs. It is necessary that we patiently lay off one by one every false belief of identity or existence in matter, knowing that as we do this we are bearing witness to the truth of our being.
Let us realize that Mind bestows the only consciousness there is, and therefore as the reflection of that Mind, we express omnipotent intelligence and feel the peace and joy of omnipresent Love. As our lives manifest the truth of our real identity, we become conscious of God's allness and rejoice because we find that man is at one with omnipresent good. We shall find that our real identity is hid from the world's false claims and safe in the arms of omnipotent Love.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple
of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will
write upon him the name of my God, and the name
of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I
will write upon him my new name.—Revelation 3:12.
